Moors’ Clock Tower

This is one of the most original constructions of early Venetian Renaissance architecture. It is located on the north side of the Piazza San Marco, at the entrance to the Merceria.

It
comprises a tower, which contains
the clock, and lower buildings on
each side. It adjoins the eastern end of the Procuratie Vecchie.

The Moors’
Clock Tower is one of the most
famous architecturallandmarks in
Venice, standing like a Triumphal
Arch that leads into what is the
main shopping street of the city, the ancient Merceria.

It was
placed where the clock would be visible from the waters of the lagoon and give
notice to everyone of the wealthand glory of Venice.

The Tower
with its large Astronomical Clock, a
masterpiece of technology and engineering, form an essential part of the very image of Venice. For more than five hundred years, they have marked
the life, the history and the perpetual passing of time within the city.

The lower
two floors of the tower make a monumental
archway into the main street of the city, the Merceria, which linked
the political and religious center
(the Piazza) with the commercial and financial center (the Rialto). Today it is
one of the 11 venues managed by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia.